Described below a method for operating an ad hoc communication network having a plurality of subscribers, the subscribers being able to engage in spontaneous communication with one another, by execution of one or more leave commands when one subscriber of the plurality of subscribers leaves the ad hoc communication network. Also described is a corresponding communication device for setting up an ad hoc communication network with other subscribers.
Some ad hoc communication networks (or ad hoc networks for short) are based on the rule that a subscriber must notify the other subscribers upon leaving the network. Usually, however, the problem is that the subscriber (or, as the case may be, the device) does not know in advance at what moment in time he (or, as the case may be, it) will leave the network. Often the subscriber does not know that he/it will leave the network until after he/it has already left the network. By that time, however, it is no longer possible for the subscriber to transmit a “Goodbye” message or corresponding control commands to the network or, as the case may be, its subscribers.
One approach to a solution of this problem would be to measure the performance, the connection quality and other parameters of the network and to determine when the connection could break off. However, this solution is not reliable, since the network's performance and connection quality are heavily dependent on the environment. What are termed “ad hoc networks”, by which spontaneous communication is possible, are namely configured in such a way that they reorganize themselves dynamically in time and space. Consequently the environment changes constantly, which means that a solution in this regard would not be efficient.